Grand Old Pissing Match in 1912
..."For years, the tensions within the Grand Old Party had been building over the issue of government regulation. During his presidency, Roosevelt had advocated a "Square Deal" between capital and labor in American society. By the time he left the White House in March 1909, Roosevelt believed that the federal government must do more to supervise large corporations, improve the lot of women and children who worked long hours for low wages in industry, and conserve natural resources. "When I say that I am for the square deal, I mean not merely that I stand for fair play under the present rules of the game, but that I stand for having those rules changed so as to work for a more substantial equality of opportunity and of reward for equally good service," he said in August 1910. Roosevelt was especially critical of the state and federal courts for overturning reform legislation as unconstitutional, and he said that such decisions were "fundamentally hostile to every species of real popular government'"...
Lewis L. Gould
Return of the Rough Rider
Smithsonian
August 2008
1 comment:
Ah yes, the GOP. America's first Anti-slavers. And Anti-Corporateers. The party of freedom, self-reliance, rugged individualism, and Progressivism.
Too bad that the GOP has lost its fire and lost its way -- not to mention its charisma. The GOP desparately needs another Teddy R -a man of great enthusiasms and great devotions, willing to do battle in the public arena, a man who risked failure while daring greatly. Teddy R: no timid soul was he.
Post a Comment